Classic Italy, Small Group 5-18-17 WiFi at the hotels?

MarieDe

Another question I have is: Do the hotels on this trip have Wifi?

Anyone else going on the 5/18/17 trip. Would like to say "hello".

Claudia Sails

If you look on the page here on Tauck's website for your tour, then click on "Accomodations" it provides details about the hotels you'll be staying at including wifi.

Also, on the same page click on "Before You Go". Wifi access is covered under "Upon Arrival" and your previous question on irons is covered under "What to Pack".

British

Mariede, I note this is your first trip to Europe. Here are a few tips. First, read all the information that Tauck provides for you on the website, some of it is vey important, some is useful. Second, spend the next couple of months reading everything you can about Italy inparticular, its customs, its weather, it's history, the places you will be visiting and the things you need to do to keep yourself as safe as possible in a country that can have locals who 'prey'on tourists. You can chose and read some of the books that Tauck recommends on their website, go to the library, use the internet or check out maybe the guides that Rick Steves has written about Italy. This should make your tour all the more enjoyable. You want to make the most of the money you fork out for a Tauck tour. Have a great time.

Claudia Sails

I concur with British.

Rick Steves site in particular has very useful articles on avoiding pickpockets/scams, money/ATMs/credit cards, phone and electronics. I also like his guide books - in particular the city pocket guides.

MarieDe

Thank you all. You're very helpful. I watched Rick Steves on Youtube. It was very informative.

Marie & Al

lovestravel

Although we very much like the Rick Steves guidebooks and videos, we also love the DK Eyewitness Guidebooks. They have beautiful pictures to entice you to anticipate the wonderful sites you'll visit on this fantastic trip! They may be too heavy to carry, so we sometimes buy them and then scan pages from them to take with us. They also have a series of Top 10 for various cities. They're smaller and can be carried much more easily. Although this was not our first trip to Europe, it was our first with Tauck and remains one of our most favorite tours of all, along with the Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna, and Prague tour with them.

Claudia Sails

Love the DK guides as well - the pictures, maps, history, trivia etc but they do weigh a ton so I save them for pre-tour reading.

I scan the book shelves at local thrift stores for travel books. They are cheap so I don't feel bad about ripping out pages to take with me. Good for giving you an idea of the main places to see and maps. Sat I found a 2012 Frommer's London guide and a wonderful book on Versailles with loads for color photos and maps - 25 cents for the two books.

AlanS

Wifi was "available" at each hotel- speed varied from abysmal to great.

We even had wifi on the Tauck bus (CI, SG May 2016). Speed, bandwidth, and reliability were not the best. Bandwidth limitation was a major problem- we exceeded the bus company's allotment. Our TD (or driver?) requested and we got additional bandwidth, but it didn't last long. While it lasted, I followed our progress on Google maps and was able to identify each of the unbelievable number of hill towns as we travelled through Umbria and Tuscany. (I also won the contest to see who would be the first to spot the leaning tower as we drove past Pisa since I knew exactly where to look- I wasn't cheating ). Sent from the Sol y Luna hotel in the Sacred Valley- Machu Picchu tomorrow! Can't wait!

MarieDe

Thank you all. We are certainly looking forward to our Classic Italy Small Group trip with Tauck. This is our 2nd trip with them. The first was Grand New England & Canada & it was the best. We've been on other tours and cruises, but nothing compares to Tauck.
If I remember correctly, while on the trip with Tauck years ago, all tips were included during the tour e.g. included meals at the restaurants, hotel maid, bell hops and Tour Director & Driver. I was reading all the material on the website and if I read correctly, we now must tip the Tour Director & Driver. If so, for a 14 day trip, do you have any recommendations for a tip?

crackers54

It will be in your info packet for suggested tip. I have been on many tours and only my river cruise you did not tip TD and bus drivers.

MarieDe

It's been awhile. So I may have just forgotten that you do tip on land tours. I will check my packet for recommendations.

Thank you

Mariede

British

It's true, most tours you have to tip the tour director and driver, but certainly not all. I recall several where the driver's rip is covered, especially when you move from one bus to another on the tour. This is explained in all your information and suggested tips. We always take paper and envelopes with us ready to put the tips in with a note at the farewell dinner. I'm still not convinced that all clients give tips, if they do, they do it even more discreetly than we do. Many ask when is the appropriate time to give the tip when we are on tour.